Hypericum plant named ‘Verpeacla’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hypericum  plant named ‘Verpeacla’, characterized by its upright plant habit; durable dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large light pink-colored fruits; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Hypericum androsaemum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Verpeacla’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHypericum, botanically known as Hypericum androsaemum and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Verpeacla’.

The new Hypericum is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new cut flower Hypericum cultivars withnumerous attractive fruit coloration.

The new Hypericum originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in August, 2001 in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands of aproprietary selection of Hypericum androsaemum identified as code number22-22-53, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietaryselection of Hypericum androsaemum identified as code number 1062, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hypericum wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands in July, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings inWieringerwerf, The Netherlands, since August, 2003, has shown that theunique features of this new Hypericum are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Verpeacla have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Verpeacla’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Verpeacla’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofHypericum:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Durable dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large light pink-colored fruits.    -   5. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum have larger inflorescences than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum have larger fruits than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the female        parent selection in fruit color as plants of the female parent        selection have brownish red-colored fruits.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum have longer flowering stems than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum have larger fruits than plants of        the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Hypericum can be compared to plants of the cultivarExcellent Flair, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted bythe Inventor in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands, plants of the newHypericum differed from plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum were more upright and shorter        than plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair.    -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum were more freely branching than        plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair.    -   3. Plants of the new Hypericum had stronger flowering stems than        plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair.    -   4. Leaves of plants of the new Hypericum were larger, had more        rounded apices and were darker green in color than leaves of        plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair.    -   5. Plants of the new Hypericum and the cultivar Excellent Flair        differed in fruit color as plants of the cultivar Excellent        Flair had brownish red-colored fruits.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Hypericum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering stem of ‘Verpeacla’.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical fruits of ‘Verpeacla’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of atypical flower of ‘Verpeacla’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photographs and following description were grown underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditionsduring the summer in an outdoor nursery in Wieringerwerf, TheNetherlands for about one year. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 14° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 10° C. to averaged 14° C.

-   Botanical classification: Hypericum androsaemum cultivar Verpeacla.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum            androsaemum identified as code number 22-22-53, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum            androsaemum identified as code number 1062, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at 21° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About one            month at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 40 days            at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; color, 163A overlain with            200A.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Upright plant form; narrow inverted triangle. Freely            branching with about ten flowering stems developing per            plant; dense and bushy plant form; moderately vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 65 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 70 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter:            About 2.7 mm. Internode length: About 3.5 cm. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, young: 145C            overlain with 53A. Color, mature: 165B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 7.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 5.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Rounded and slightly retuse.        -   Base.—Slightly cordate.        -   Margin.—Entire; slightly undulate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous; rugose.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 144A.            Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 138D. Fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker than 139A; venation,            close to 147D. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 139C;            venation, 147D.        -   Stipules.—Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 3.5 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous; slightly rugose. Color,            upper surface: 143A. Color, lower surface: 138B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Bright yellow-colored single            flowers arranged in terminal compound umbels with about ten            flowers per umbel. Flowers persistent. Flowers face mostly            upright to slightly outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Summer, typically June to            September in The Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Cut flowers are typically            harvested when all flowers have developed fruits.            Postproduction longevity of cut stems with fruits is about            two weeks.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 7.5 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: 13C; towards the margin, 14A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 9 cm. Diameter: About 7            cm.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.8 cm. Depth (height): About 1 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl.            Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Broadly            elliptic. Apex: Rounded to slightly retuse. Base: Attenuate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous,            smooth. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:            13A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: 10A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl.            Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 7.5 mm. Shape: Broadly            cordate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Broadly attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous,            slightly rugose. Color: When opening, upper surface: 143C;            towards the base, 2D; towards the margins, 46A. When            opening, lower surface: Close to 147D. Fully opened, upper            surface: 145B; towards the base, 137A; towards the margins,            46A. Fully opened, lower surface: 145D.        -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter:            About 1.8 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 45° from vertical.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B overlain with 185A.        -   Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 2 cm. Diameter:            About 1.4 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 45° from the stem axis.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144C overlain with 46A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 90.            Filament color: 9A. Anther shape: Broadly ovate. Anther            length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 17A. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: 13A. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            Three. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Stigma shape: Globular.            Stigma color: Close to 51A. Style length: About 6.1 mm.            Style color: 3C. Ovary color: 1B.        -   Fruits.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape:            Broadly ovate. Texture: Smooth; slightly ribbed. Color: 26C;            at the apex, close to 187C.        -   Seeds.—Length: About 1.4 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Color:            200A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hypericum have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hypericum.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hypericum have exhibited    moderate tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to    tolerate temperatures ranging from about −15° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Hypericum plant named ‘Verpeacla’ as illustratedand described.